Operation: Sterkrade, Germany

Date: 16th/17th June 1944 (Friday/Saturday)

Unit No: 419 (Moose) Squadron, RCAF, 6 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Lancaster X

Serial: KB734

Code: VR:F

Base: RAF Middleton St. George, County Durham

Location: Zeist east of Utrecht, The Netherlands

Pilot: Flt Lt. Ernest Sutton Smith J18707 RCAF Age 24. KiA (1)

Flt Eng: Sgt. John William Alfred Trussler 1893139 RAFVR Age 19. PoW No. 243 * (2)

Nav: Flt Sgt. William Henry Gardiner R157475 RCAF Age 28. KiA

Bomb Aimer: Sgt. R.E. Porter R133974 RCAF Age? Evader/PoW (3)

WOp/Air Gnr: WO1. Michael Baran R117359 RCAF Age 35. KiA

Air Gnr (Mid Upp): Sgt. Glenn William Taylor R209137 RCAF Age 20. KiA

Air Gnr (Rear): Sgt. Sidney Albert Wilson R183100 RCAF Age 29. KiA

* Stalag Luft 7 Bankau nr. Kreuzburg O.S." (O.S. standing for Oberschlesien, Upper Silesia). Today called Bąków nr. Kluczbork (Poland).

REASON FOR LOSS:

On the 16th July 1944 16 aircraft were detailed from the squadron were tasked on a mission to bomb the synthetic oil plant at Sterkrade about 13 km (8 mls) NW of Essen, Germany

Crews reported that there was heavy German fighter and Flak opposition.

KB734 was one of two aircraft from the squadron that failed to return: The second was Lancaster X KB728 VE:V (Fg Off. Donald Morrison J19398, RCAF and his crew were KiA)

KB734 was claimed by Uffz. Gustav Sarzio, his 2nd Abschuss, from 6./NJG1 at Zeist, 5 km east of Utrecht at 4.200 m. at 02:05. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive (12 May 1944 - 23 July 1944) Part 3 - Theo Boiten)

Uffz. Sarzio was wounded on the night of the 4th/5th November 1944 at Viersen, when his fighter was shot down by 488 Sqn Mosquito MM820, crewed by WO. Marshall and Fg Off. Prescott. He was credited with a total of 5 Abschüsse. (Nachtjagd Combat Archive - Biographies - Theo Boiten)

The aircraft crashed on a home in Utrechtecheweg 48, Zeist in The Netherlands at 02:10 hrs.

It was reported by the Zeist Police that Flt Lt. Smith and Sgt. Wilson baled out too late and were found dead.

(1) Prior to reporting to 419 (Moose) Sqn in April 1944 Flt Lt. Smith had been attached to the RAF as a Glider Tug Pilot with the Heavy Glider Conversion Unit at RAF North Luffenham. Prior to that he had spent some time with the Ferrying service for the Middle East.

This was his 10th mission with 419 (Moose) Sqn.

Above: Clipping from The Expositor, dated 19th July 1944

Flt Lt. Smith was awarded the Kings Commendation for Valuable Services in the Air. Promulgated in the London Gazette 1st January 1944. It was awarded when he was a Warrant Officer (WO).

(2) No “General Questionnaire for British/American Ex-Prisoners” for Sgt. Trussler has been found but it is known that he was held in Stalag Luft 7. Therefore it is probable that on the 19th January 1945, he was amongst the 1,500 prisoners marched out of the camp in the bitter cold. They crossed a bridge over the river Oder on the 21st January, reached Goldberg on 5th February, and were loaded onto a train.

On the 8th February they reached Stalag 3A located about 52 km (32 mls) south of Berlin near Luckenwalde, which already held 20,000 prisoners, consisting mainly of soldiers from Britain, Canada, the US and Russia.

Over January and February 1945 PoWs from numerous other camps arrived and the camp eventually housed 45,942 PoWs, including 24,996 French, 12,517 Soviet, 4,093 Serbian, 1,499 American, 1,433 British, 1,310 Italian, 86 Polish and 8 Romanian.

On the 22nd April 1945 the guards fled the camp in the face of the advancing Russians leaving the prisoners to be liberated by the Red Army.

Stalag 3A was turned over to the Americans on the 6th May at which time the Senior American Officers (SAO) took over the running of the camp until all the PoWs were evacuated.

(3) Sgt. Porter reported in his “Questionnaire for Completion by RCAF returning Evaders, Escapers or Prisoners of War” that he had been blown out of the exploding aircraft at 20,000 ft. He signed this as a Warrant Officer (WO) after being interviewed on the 12th May 1945.

He was reported to be have been an evader, however, no Escape and Evasion report has been found.

Furthermore, an uncorroborated report claimed that he had been captured in December 1944 and that he remained a PoW until liberated, however, no “General Questionnaire for British/American Ex-Prisoners” has been found. Nor was he named in any PoW lists that are available.

No definitive proof has been found to corroborate whether he was an evader or a PoW..

Burial details:

Above: Grave marker for Flt Lt. Ernest Sutton Smith (Courtesy of PupDawg - FindAGrave)

Flt Lt. Ernest Sutton Smith. Amersfoort (Old Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13, Row 1, Grave 7. Grave Inscription: 'REMEMBERENCE'. Born on the 2nd January 1920 in Brantford, Ontario. Son of John Sutton and Henrietta Wilson (née Mayberry) Smith of Brantford, Ontario, Canada.

Above Plt Off. William Henry Gardiner from his Service Record and right Grave Marker (Courtesy of Wouter van Dijken - FindAGrave)

Plt Off. William Henry Gardiner. Amersfoort (Old Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13, Row 1, Grave 6. Born on the 9th March 1916 in Toronto, Ontario. Son of Frederick Gerald and Nellie Violet (née Stretton) Gardiner of Toronto, Ontario. Husband to Dorothy Nell (née Farmer) Gardiner of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Flt Sgt. Gardiner was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J92341 Plt Off. with effect 15th June 1944.

Above: Plt Off. Michael Baran from his Service Record and right Grave Marker (Courtesy of PupDawg - FindAGrave)

Plt Off. Michael Baran. Amersfoort (Old Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13, Row 1, Grave 8. Born on the 15th April 1908 in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Son of George and Mary (née Trynaciaty) Baran, of Hamilton, Ontario. Husband of Elsa Kathleen (née Bergstrom) Baran of Noranda, Quebec, Canada.

WO1. Baran was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J92340 Plt Off. with effect 15th June 1944.

Above: Plt Off. Glenn William Taylor from his Service Record and right Grave Marker (Courtesy of PupDawg - FindAGrave)

Plt Off. Glenn William Taylor. Amersfoort (Old Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13, Row 1, Grave 11. Grave inscription: 'MEMORY IS LIFE'S SWEETEST GIFT'. Born on the 29th November 1923 in Grafton, Ontario. Son of Vernon Alexander and Mabel Noblena (née Gillespie) Taylor, of Grafton, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt Taylor was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J92342 Plt Off. ith effect 15th June 1944.

Above: Plt Off. Sidney Albert Wilson from his Service Record and right Grave Marker (Courtesy of PupDawg - FindAGrave)

Plt Off. Sidney Albert Wilson. Amersfoort (Old Leusden) General Cemetery Plot 13, Row 1, Grave 9. Grave inscription: '"SUNSET AND EVENING STAR, AND ONE CLEAR CALL FOR ME!" MISSED BY ALL THE FAMILY'. Born on the 26th March 1915 in Toronto, Ontario. Son of Arthur S. and Jennie V. (née Short) Wilson of Whitby, Ontario. Husband of Marjorie (née Noble) Wilson of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.

Sgt. Wilson was posthumously appointed to a commission and promoted to J92343 Plt Off. with effect 15th June 1944.

Researched by Ralph Snape for Aircrew Remembered and dedicated to the relatives of this crew.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning we will remember them. - Laurence Binyon
All site material (except as noted elsewhere) is owned or managed by Aircrew Remembered and should not be used without prior permission.
© Aircrew Remembered 2012 - 2024 Last Modified: 16 March 2024, 07:55